How to Pick Sunflower Seeds

Not only are sunflowers an attractive and striking addition to the home garden as an ornamental, they also produce edible seeds. Use the seeds as a snack, in baking or mixed in with other seeds for the birds. Harvesting the seeds requires little time and preparing them for consumption is also simple. The large seed heads produce many seeds so even a small stand of sunflowers produces a large crop. Not all sunflowers produce edible seeds, so be sure to plant a seed-bearing variety if you want to harvest.

Things You'll Need

Shears
Cheesecloth
Rubber bands

Bowl
Containers

Instructions

- 1
  Harvest seeds three to four months after sowing seeds in the garden. Wait for the petals to fall off and the flower head to begin to droop.
- 2
  Cut off the flower head once the back starts to turn greenish-yellow or yellow-brown, depending on variety. Leave 1 foot of the stem attached to the flower head.
- 3
  Bring the heads inside to finish curing. Hang the seed heads in a warm, dry place to continue drying for approximately two weeks.
- 4
  Wrap cheesecloth around each flower head as they dry and secure with a rubber band. This catches any seeds that fall off while the sunflower is drying.
- 5
  Remove the cheesecloth and hold the seed head over a large bowl. Rub the seed head with your hand, which will loosen and dislodge the seeds from the flower.
- 6
  Store seeds in airtight containers until ready to use. Alternately, simmer them in salted water for two hours, then roast in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Tips on Planting Sunflowers

How to Make Bird Seed From Sunflowers

Growing Sunflowers